Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1789-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more

Download & Play

Questions

Newspaper Page Text

and beaiity to the view, of the vil
lagers, and when his uncle died
put on great style as the fortu
nate heir.
Old Peter left Tom the big
home farm and some comfortable
investments. To the surprise of
everybody, all that Mark was
awarded was the River lot, "with
all thereon," the will read. "All
thereon" was little indeed a
broken-down cottage, a few farm
implements and a great gnarled
apple tree past all bearing and
dead at the top. People wondered
at the unjust discrimination of
the old uncle. Some, however,
knew that he had always favored
the sister who had died, the moth
er of Tom, and had inherited
some means through her, and
probably felt it a duty to make
her son his principal heir.
Tom Lacey bad uttered no idle
passing threat to Lawyer Dole.
It was early spring when he made
it. He had men in hie employ
mean and unscrupulous as him
self. They became willing tools
in his scheme of lo wrevenge. Its
result was made very patent to
brave, patient Mark and his lov
ing helpmate, Leila, at harvest
time.
It was evening tide, and hus
band and wife sat on a bench un
der the old apple tree. Mark's
face .showed anxiety, almost dis
couragement. There were tears
in Leila's lovely eyes, but she
struggled courageously to hide
them.
"It's pretty bad, Mark, I must
cc nfess," she was saying. "The
.whole work of a season gone!
Don't f: w-t about it, dear. We will
begin all over again."
"What with?" questioned
Mark, gloomily. !
"Your good clear head and'
strong hands and my loving help,
of course," cried Leila brightly. '
For all Leila's encouraging
words the prospect was a dubious f
one. In a word, the four crops of
River Farm were ruined. Early
in the spring at seeding time
some one had tampered with the
well-tilled fields. Some one had
put in mustard seed and that of a
tagly weed that had choked put
the wheat, oats, buckwheat and
rye.
"The whole lot isn't good even -for
bedding," said Mark. "Of
course, this is the work of T8m
Lacey. I can hardly keep my
hands off of- him."
"We don't surely know that,"
remonstrated Leila.
"What ! After his threats and
boastings ! Well, I'll try and for
get," declared Mark quickly, as
he noticed the tears in his dear
one's eyes. "I've got a chance to
chop wood in the forest half the
winter. That will keep the wolf
from the door till springtime,
anyhow."
"Yes, dear," said Leila sooth
ingly, "and I can help out with
some sewing. Speaking of chop
ping, it might not be a bad idea to;
get the old apple tree out of the
way."
"I suppose it will topple over
some stormy night and hit the
house, if we don't," replied Mark.
"The tree is almost as old as;
Uncle Peter was. Do.vou remera- ,